Police: Girl, 9, suffers 'devastating injuries' from improvised explosive

PHILADELPHIA - Police say a 9-year-old girl remains in critical condition with injuries from an explosive device inside a Kensington home.

Terri Shaw-Harris' grandson is still lying in a hospital bed after someone detonated an M-1000 explosive device under a park bench where Tygi Baker was sitting in a North Philadelphia park last week. The 15-year-old high school sophomore suffered major injuries to his intestines along with second-degree burns.

"These things can seriously injure, you could lose a limb, you could lose your life. They're no joke," she told FOX 29.  

Police and bomb experts issued another warning Monday after the latest tragedy involving a young person handling what was believed to be fireworks, but it turned out to be a dangerous, homemade improvised explosive device.

"They're inherently dangerous because they're not legally manufactured. They're very sensitive to heat, shock and friction, so you don't have to light them," Philadelphia Police Captain Mark Burgmann said.

The latest incident left a 9-year-old girl with devastating injuries. Police say she picked up a homemade M-80-like device and it went off in her hands, causing multiple injuries. She remains in critical condition.

"The victim's father purchased them the previous night on the street from a male who was selling them," Bomb Squad Detective Timothy Brooks said. "The child was home alone, the mother went to the store. She began to handle the explosive. We believe she lit it and it exploded in her hands."

Investigators say these two incidents come after a 17-year-old suffered serious hand injuries in June from an M-80-like device. Police are still investigating the incident involving Tygi Baker and the 9-year-old girl.

"If you're going to enjoy fireworks, we recommend you leave it up to the professionals," Detective Brooks said.